Penstemon plant named &#39;BARPENPEPRE&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Penstemon  plant named ‘Barpenpepre’, characterized by its upright and tall plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; red-colored flowers with white-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Penstemon hartwegii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BARPENPEPRE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Penstemon plant, botanically known as Penstemon hartwegii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Barpenpepre’.

The new Penstemon plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new early-flowering Penstemon plants with attractive flower color.

The new Penstemon plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in August, 2013 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Penstemon hartwegii identified as code number Pe-0002, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Penstemon hartwegii identified as code number Pe-0099, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Penstemon plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in April, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Penstemon plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since April, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Penstemon plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Penstemon have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Barpenpepre’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Barpenpepre’ as a new and distinct Penstemon plant:

-   -   1. Upright and tall plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Red-colored flowers with white-colored centers.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Penstemon differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Penstemon are taller than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Penstemon have larger leaves than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Penstemon have larger flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Penstemon flower earlier than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   5. Plants of the new Penstemon and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have pink and white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Penstemon differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Penstemon are taller than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Penstemon have larger leaves than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Penstemon have larger flowers than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Penstemon flower earlier than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   5. Plants of the new Penstemon and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have solid red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Penstemon can be compared to plants of Penstemon hartwegii ‘Polaris Purple’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Penstemon and ‘Polaris Purple’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Penstemon are taller and have longer         internodes than plants of ‘Polaris Purple’.     -   2. Plants of the new Penstemon have larger leaves than plants of         ‘Polaris Purple’.     -   3. Plants of the new Penstemon flower earlier than plants of         ‘Polaris Purple’.     -   4. Plants of the new Penstemon are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Polaris Purple’.     -   5. Plants of the new Penstemon have larger inflorescences and         larger flowers than plants of ‘Polaris Purple’.     -   6. Plants of the new Penstemon and ‘Polaris Purple’ differ in         flower color as plants of ‘Polaris Purple’ have purple and         white-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Penstemon plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Penstemon plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plant of ‘Barpenpepre’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 13-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Penstemon production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 22° C. and night temperatures averaged 17° C. Plants were pinched one time and were three months old when the photograph was taken and six months old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Penstemon hartwegii ‘Barpenpepre’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Penstemon             hartwegii identified as code number Pe-0002, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Penstemon             hartwegii identified as code number Pe-0099, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 12 days at             temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 days at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 16 days             at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 20 days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white to light yellow in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown             as a container and garden plant; upright and tall plant             habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 47 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 35 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 45 cm. Internode length:             About 4 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 145C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 12 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.6 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Slightly dentate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             144A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;             venation, close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 148C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower shape, arrangement and flowering habit.—Single             bi-labiate flowers arranged on terminal racemes; flowers             face mostly outwardly; freely flowering with about 45             flowers developing per inflorescence and about 280 flowers             development per plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—Early flowering habit, plants begin to             flower about eight to ten weeks after planting.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants             flower during the summer in The Netherlands; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 45A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 45 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 15 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 4 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, at base.—About 8 mm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five, fused into a tube; bi-labiate,             upper lip with two upper petals and lower lip with three             lower petals. Length, upper and lower lips: About 4 mm.             Width, upper lip: About 1.4 cm. Width, lower lip: About             1.5 cm. Shape: Rounded. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire;             slightly undulate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Texture, throat: Smooth,             glabrous. Texture, tube: Pubescent. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 45A; venation, close             to 45B. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 45B; towards the base, close to 53C; venation, close to             45C. Throat: Close to 159B to 159D; venation, close to 159D.             Tube: Close to 45A; towards the base, close to 145B;             venation, close to 45C.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused in a single whorl.             Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex:             Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color:             Developing and fully developed, upper surface: Close to             144D; towards the apex, close to 144A. Developing and fully             developed, lower surface: Close to 144D; towards the apex,             close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 45 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Aspect: Upright to about 30° from vertical. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Aspect:             About 20° from the peduncle axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 146D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 2.1 cm to 2.4 cm. Filament color:             Close to 155D. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther color:             Close to 187A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close             to 158A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 1.9 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to             155A. Style length: About 2 cm. Style color: Close to 71A;             distally, close to 155A. Ovary color: Close to 145A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Penstemon. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Penstemon have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and frost. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Penstemon have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Penstemon     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Penstemon plant named ‘Barpenpepre’ as illustrated and described. 